Business

Microsoft Sends Rep Out to Personally Dis the iPhone, Android [VIDEO]

It's the classic source of angst for a marketer: If only people could actually see how good this product is, then they'd understand.

For Microsoft, it must be especially frustrating. The company feels there are features to Windows Phone 8 that are so good that any reasonable person would swap their iPhone or Android if they just saw Microsoft's phone up close and personal.

That's the apparent impetus behind a new round of videos featuring Ben "The PC Guy" Rudolph. The videos show Rudolph meeting strangers and then talking up superior features of the Win 8 Phone. In the video above, he interrupts a couple's dinner to show them how much better the Nokia Lumia 920 is versus the iPhone. In the video below, he challenges a woman to a text-off with her HTC phone and wins handily. After each instance, he gives the participants the Lumia 920.

Before that, in 2009, Microsoft ran an ad campaign called "Laptop Hunters" that featured putative real consumers saving money by buying Windows-based PCs rather than Apple's comparable but pricier models. Microsoft also promoted its Zune MP3 player by taking potshots at the iPod that year.

It's unclear whether the tactic will work this time around. However, if Microsoft was somehow able to clone Rudolph and have him run the same comparison with the tens of millions of people who own iPhones and Android devices, it might just do the trick.

BONUS: Nokia Lumia 920: A Big Phone With a Killer Camera [REVIEW]

Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 920

The Nokia Lumia 920 is the flagship smartphone on Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 platform. It's a bit on the bulky side, but it runs like a dream and has one of the best cameras ever built into a smartphone.

Headphone Jack

The headphone jack for the 920 is on the top of the device.

Power Port

Speakers and a USB port are located on the bottom of the Lumia 920.

Buttons

The volume, camera shutter and power buttons are all on the right side of he handset and appear to blend into the black finish of the phone's exterior.

Bulky Design

The Lumia 920 is an exceptionally large and heavy phone, especially in contrast to some other phones on the market, such as the iPhone 4S (shown here).

Nokia City Lens

Augmented Reality

City Lens also has an augmented-reality element, that allows you to see what businesses and attractions are located around you.

Nokia Maps

Nokia Maps includes driving, walking and transit directions.

Resizable Tiles

Start-screen tiles in Windows Phone 8 can be one of three sizes. You can resize each tile by pressing and holding the icon and then tapping the arrow on the bottom right of the tile.

Small, Medium, Large

Tiles can be small, medium (the original Windows Phone tile size) or large (the full width of the screen).

Color Choices

Windows Phone 8 allows you to select between a white or black background on your phone's Start screen, and select between a rainbow of colors for the default tile color.

Get Your Tickets to Mashable Media Summit

The Mashable Media Summit 2012 will explore the impact that technology is having on media, and how digital media is affecting our lives and changing the world. This one-day conference will bring together the brightest minds in media, including content creators, technology leaders, entrepreneurs, social media executives and journalists.

A Look Back at Last Year's Mashable Media Summit

Mashable Media Summit 2011

Media Summit 2011

The Mashable Media Summit on Nov. 4 at the Times Center in New York City attracted professionals in digital, tech, advertising, sales, marketing, mobile and publishing from all over the world.

Media Summit 2011

We had a packed house in attendance for this year's Media Summit.

The Future of Social Media

Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable, speaks on the future of social media, its current landscape and what trends to expect for 2012.

Media Summit 2011

This year's Media Summit was located at the Times Center in New York City.

Social Media Grows Up: The Evolving Role of Social Media in News Organizations

Mashable's community manager Meghan Peters chats with Katie Rogers, social media manager at The Washington Post; Anthony De Rosa, social media editor at Reuters; and Drake Martinet, social media editor at AllThingsD.

Teaching – and Learning From – The Old Grey Lady

Brian Stelter, a media reporter and blogger at The New York Times speaks at the Media Summit.

The Filter Bubble: How to Fix Content Curation

Eli Pariser, author and chairman of the board at MoveOn.org, discusses how human editors and algorithms can work together to get users clicking on content that matters.

What Facebook's New Features Mean For Journalism

Adam Ostrow, executive editor and senior vice president of content, Mashable speaks with Vadim Lavrusik, journalist program manager of Facebook, about how the social network's new features can help journalists.

The Evolution of Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated Group editor, Terry McDonell, talks about the magazine's transition from print to digital with Mashable's Editor in Chief Lance Ulanoff.

From Tactile to Mobile

Josh Koppel, co-founder and chief creative officer of ScrollMotion, speaks on the reinvention of content experience and engagement.

TV Makes You Smarter

Christy Tanner, TV Guide's general manager and executive vice president, explains how technology is changing entertainment for better and for worse.

TV Guide Audience

A member of the audience asks TVGuide general manager and EVP Christy Tanner about technology's changes to the entertainment industry.

Who Owns Your Identity?

Mashable Senior Vice President Robyn Peterson speaks with Andy Mitchell, strategic partner of development at Facebook about how much of our identity is shared to third-party sites. Also on stage is Patrick Harding, CTO of Ping Identity, and Tim Dierks, senior vice president of engineering at Huffington Post.

Who Owns Your Identity?

Mashable Senior Vice President Robyn Peterson speaks with Andy Mitchell, strategic partner of development at Facebook; Patrick Harding, CTO of Ping Identity; and Tim Dierks, senior vice president of engineering at Huffington Post about how much of our identity is shared to third-party sites.

Like A Virgin

Tor Myhren, Grey president and chief creative officer, talked about the ultimate user experience, and how different it is today from when he was a teen. Here he is at age 14.

Like A Virgin

Tor Myhren, Grey president and chief creative officer, talked about the ultimate user experience, and how different it is today from when he was a teen.

The Problem of Prediction

Tony Haile, CEO of Chartbeat, discusses how real time data changes what you should be doing.

One on One

The New Model of Content and Commerce

Lauren Indvik, marketing and media associate editor at Mashable, is joined by a panel including Alexis Maybank, founder and chief marketing officer of Gilt Groupe ; Maureen Mullen, research and advisory lead of L2; and David Granger, editor in chief of Esquire.

The New Model of Content and Commerce

Lauren Indvik, marketing and media associate editor at Mashable, is joined by a panel including Alexis Maybank, Founder and chief marketing officer of Gilt Groupe ; Maureen Mullen, research and advisory lead of L2; and David Granger, editor in chief of Esquire.

The Future of Social TV

Mashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.

The Future of Social TV

Mashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.

The Future of Social TV

Mashable's entertainment editor Christina Warren talks with a panel including Alex Iskold, GetGlue founder and CEO; Jesse Redniss, vice president of digital, USA Networks; and Tom Thai, vice president of marketing and business development at Bluefin Labs, about the future of social media in its relationship with television.

Breaking Down Content Barriers

Michael Lazerow, founder and CEO of Buddy Media talks about the rules of content that need to be changed for social media.

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Getting Ready for the Post-Conference Reception

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Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

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Media Summit 2011 Reception

Media Summit 2011 Reception

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